Plain Talk about Food: Christmas Dinner without Crab

“What?” Hubby cried out with a look as though he’d lost his best friend. The rest of our good-sized family didn’t take this news any better, and then the advice began pouring in.
Get on the internet, call San Francisco, call Seattle — how can we do without our ‘crab cakes’? But alas, Dungeness crab is not going to be included on our menu this year. The unusually warm waters of the Pacific Ocean, from Southeastern Alaska through California has resulted in a deadly algae bloom which creates acid in the crab, rendering the diner seriously ill, and in extreme amounts, can result in death to humans.
Because of a ‘no crab Christmas,’ I have decided to treat the family to fried calamari appetizers and an edible Italian Christmas wreath consisting of a blend of diced pepperonis, roasted red peppers and a three cheese mix incorporated in a base of cream cheese and fresh herbs. This delicious appetizer will please everyone and is beautiful to look at as well. (Recipe follows).
This Christmas the place of honor on our dinner table will be an orange marmalade glazed City Ham surrounded by spiced apple rings. City Hams are those hams found in today’s markets which have been cured with brine, then smoked and fully cooked. Country hams are uncooked and cured by rubbing the meat with sugar and salt. Curing is simply a process of rubbing meat with a salt/sugar blend to preserve the meat.
For many, choosing a ham can be confusing when the meat case holds four grades of ham, three of which are usually available only in specialty markets.
When the label wording reads only ‘ham’ you are looking at the finest grade of ham available. This grade has a clean pork flavor and has a fine, lean texture that resembles a chop. It is considerably more expensive than the other three grades and may only be available on the internet. I have, in the past, ordered a Duroc Heritage ham free of hormones. It cost $90 for an 8 lb. ham and this does not include shipping expense.
Another grade is called ‘Ham in natural juices.’ This grade is confusing since the “natural juices” are actually added water, often 10 percent of the raw weight of the ham. These hams have a fine, meaty quality when baked, and the added water does help ensure that they stay juicy.
‘Ham, water added’ is an additional grade. The percentage of added water in the ham will be stated on the label (usually in fine print). A ham that says “water added-15 percent” means it weighs 15 percent more than the raw weight of the ham.
The fourth grade is ‘Ham and water product.’ Most producers of this lowest grade pump as much water as they can into the ham which adds weight and allows the producer to sell it at a lower price. If the water exceeds 50 percent, the ham must be labeled “water and ham product,” since there is more water by weight than meat.
All of the above grades of ham will work fine with glazes containing fruit with their juices and heated at a low, slow temperature (275 degrees at 15 minutes per pound.)
I have chosen an 11 pound Cook’s spiral-cut ham in natural juices which cost $53.00. I use butcher’s twine, to tie the ham prior to heating it, and then wrap it in aluminum foil. Once the ham is heated through, I open the aluminum foil exposing only the top of the ham and spoon on the glaze, which has been heated, and place the ham under the broiler until the glaze is bubbling. This only takes about 15 minutes and results in moist slices with a delicious topping that no one can resist. Any leftover glaze can be served hot on the side. Unlike beef, hams can be served directly from the oven and are also delicious served at room temperature.
Remember, today’s ‘grocery store hams’ are all precooked and should be reheated at a temperature no higher than 275 degrees. If you follow the cooking rule of ‘Low and slow’ — you will be glad that you did.
Christmas Wreath Pepperoni and Cheese Appetizer
(This is a ‘Showstopper’)
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese at room temperature
¾ cup diced pepperoni
½ cup grated 3-cheese blend
¼ cup chopped black olives
3 Tbsp. diced roasted red peppers
2 Tbsp. diced basil
1 Tbsp. diced Italian parsley
In a mixer, blend all ingredients well and refrigerate two hours.
On waxed paper, shape mixture into a two inch wide by 24-inch long log.
Refrigerate 1 hour.
On waxed paper, shape log into a round wreath.
Decorate wreath with additional basil leaves and red pepper pieces.
Serve with crackers.
Colly Gruczelak, a Ben Lomond resident, loves people and loves to cook. Contact her at cz****@co*****.net.